You Chose Me
by SakuraoftheDream
Summary: When a stranger appears from the shadows to a grieving Kagome, she finds she has a new suitor. One that won't take no for an answer. Will Inuyasha be able to save Kagome? Or does Kagome even want him back? Read to find out.
1. Beginning with Kikyou

Author's Note: Forgive me for deleting You Chose Me and Love Through Insanity, but as you can see, it is not permanent. My computer is finally fixed, but while it was broken I happened to read over both of these fanfictions and realize that they are greatly in need of editing. So, I've decided to delete the two (I saved the files so there will be the same basic story) and begin them anew. I have notified all of my reviewers (who were not anonymous and had email addresses listed) of this change, and this is to remind those of you who didn't have a way for me to contact you. Well, I hope you enjoy the improved fanfictions. Please review to tell me what you think, and as always, new reviewers are welcome. Finally, as is my custom, on with the fic!

* * *

In wounded silence Kagome watched the scene playing out before her. How could such a heartfelt moment hurt this much? The whole clearing seemed to vibrate with love, and yet none of it could penetrate her heart. Silent tears slowly slipped down her pale cheeks, but never did she notice their salty taste as they ran across her dry lips. Those lips trembled ever so slightly, as if struggling to keep something in. The sudden empty feeling that had entered her made her want to retch, but she felt no bile rising in her throat, only sobs building up, just waiting to be set free. But why, and on such a happy day as this was supposed to be? This day, this very moment was the one she had been waiting for since the day of their fated meeting. Those words—spoken with such warmth ad feeling—those were the words she'd longed to hear. But this was all wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Those words...those lovely words...shouldn't end in... Kikyou.

* * *

Ten Minutes Earlier

* * *

Today was the day, the day she'd finally tell him her secret. Yes, the secret she'd hidden from him for so long, of the whirl of feelings that hit her whenever she was with him, the reason she was so hurt by some of the things he said, and the feeling that fueled her anger towards him. He needed to know what joy his smiles brought her and how she longed for his touch. She didn't care if he returned her feelings; he needed to know what kept her with him through all the hard times. He needed to know of her love. Such a colossal thing it was to her that she could contain it no longer. She'd wanted to blurt it out so many times, to kiss his soft lips, or even just hold his hand. All of her friends had noticed these feelings long ago; she was amazed that he had not. To the others it seemed those feelings practically radiated from her, but somehow he had not caught the glow. But now that didn't matter, if he wasn't going to notice what was obvious to everyone else, then she would just have to clue him in. Yes, a clue of the most obvious sort—a bold confession.

She'd been awake when he'd left the camp—thinking they were all asleep—and she had followed him, though it was still so dark that she could hardly see. Through dense brush and damp soil she crept after him. She ignored the wet leaves that slapped against her thighs and the branches that caught in her hair. The bugs that always came out to bother her so early in the morning didn't receive so much as a slap. Her hair was tangled, growing damp from the morning dew, and she was still wearing her wrinkled school uniform from yesterday, but she didn't care. All that mattered was telling Inuyasha that she loved him. If she didn't utter her confession she felt she would burst. Nothing could stop those words from passing her lips. The chill morning breeze crept up her skirt, causing her too shiver and rub her arms to dispel the chill the air brought her. In her distraction, she only narrowly avoided tripping over a fallen tree branch. She stopped, listening for Inuyasha and wondering if he had heard her. She was trying to be silent as she followed him, but as clumsy as she was and with his amazing hearing she was surprised he hadn't noticed her yet. However, the sudden sound of his voice told her that he had finally noticed.

"I love you," came the words so confidently from his mouth.

She felt like laughing for joy. He must have known she was there all along, leading her into the forest only to spring his own confession on her before she could say a word. The gods must be smiling at the good-hearted trick they'd played on her, but she was so happy that she didn't care! She and Inuyasha would finally be together—the very thought brought a smile to her face. She saw him several feet ahead of her. His back was turned to her, but she was sure he was just waiting for a reply. Warmth filled her as she thought of how he would smile when he learned that she loved him back. She opened her mouth to say the words. . .

"I love you, Kikyou," he slowly breathed the words again with as much passion as before.

...and her jaw went slack, her confession turning to cold iron on her tongue. This couldn't be. Had he mistaken her for Kikyou, even in her school uniform? How? Then, she saw the ivory hands slipping over his sides to rest on his back, embracing him fondly as Kagome looked on. No, this was the real thing. He'd confessed his love to the _real _Kikyou. He didn't even know she was there. How could he not know? Or did he just not care? The warm feeling inside her turned cold, freezing into ice, then shattering into a million tiny slivers, which quickly worked their way into her heart. This inner coldness left her numb; so that even the hot tears that spilled down her frozen skin went unnoticed.

* * *

Present

* * *

Kagome saw Kikyou's face moving towards Inuyasha's, his own turning to meet hers. That face—that perfect porcelain face—was the one Inuyasha saw when he looked at her, and that face was all he'd ever see. Their lips met and the ice fully encased Kagome's heart. Neither of them noticed or cared that she was there. Their minds remained focused on each other. Kagome fought to keep the sobs at bay, and tried to turn away from that hurtful sight, but Kikyou's eyes opened...and met her own. Kikyou pulled back, a hand now resting on Inuyasha's shoulder as she stared silently at Kagome. Those cold, dark eyes told Kagome the truth. She would never be with Inuyasha, because he did not love her. Kagome's frozen heart cracked, and the sobs came pouring out.

"I-I love you...I-Inu-yasha," she choked out, and as she had predicted, a large pressure was lifted from her heart, only now it was replaced by another, more painful one. This pressure encased her very soul, making it easy for her to flee from this place, which had caused her so much pain.

These words and sounds of anguish caught the hanyou by surprise, and he cursed himself for not realizing Kagome was there. His ears flattened in guilt as he turned, calling out Kagome's name, but she had already disappeared into the greenery. There was a confused look in his eyes, but that was quickly replaced by one of pain as he realized what he had done. Kikyou's hand tightened on his shoulder, sensing what he was about to do and warning him not to leave, but he shrugged it off without a thought and went speeding after Kagome.

Kikyou's last angry words trailed after him. "Forget her, Inuyasha! Remember, you chose me!"

* * *

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed the first redone chapter of You Chose Me. I am now working on the second chapter. As I've said my computer is fixed, so aside from preparations for a new school year and role-playing with my friends, I probably won't be doing much except for working on this. Sorry to say, I may put the other fanfictions on hold for a while. Please forgive me and post a review to tell me your thoughts, maybe even suggestions on what you might like added to this fanfiction. Til the next chapter, I bid you farewell. --Malachite 


	2. First Meeting

Author's Note: Ok, I forgot to put this in the first redone chapter, so I'll put it here now, before I forget. The original storyline of Inuyasha and the characters within it belong to Rumiko Takahashi (I don't think I remember how to spell that…) not me. However, this plot, and any characters not included in the original plot belong to me and me alone.

Well, here it is, the second redone chapter. Yes, I have changed it a good deal, but that was the point of redoing it in the first place. I decided I would at least try to get this one last chapter posted before I go back home, because I'm not sure how long it will be before I get my Internet hooked up at home. I know I will be offline for at least a week, but do not fear, for I shall work on the third chapter and try to have it posted as soon as I am back online. I would like to thank all of my faithful readers and reviewers, old and new. I am grateful to all who read or have read this, and doubly so to those who spared the time to review and tell me what they thought (though I understand that some of you have good reasons for not reviewing and I respect that). Well, I shall bore you no longer. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter. On with the fic!

* * *

Guilty thoughts continued to plague Inuyasha's mind, tearing at his insides and wreaking havoc with his emotions. He wasn't quite sure what he was feeling, for his thoughts seemed to be leaping all over the place as he struggled to make up his mind. For a moment he was angry with her. What right did she have to be spying on him? If she didn't want to see him with Kikyou, then she shouldn't have followed him, right? What he and Kikyou did was their business alone; she had no reason to be sad. Then he turned his anger on himself. Why hadn't he heard her following him, or even sensed she was there? Why had he snuck off when Kagome was finally here with him, instead of in her own era? And why the hell couldn't he choose between the two? A wet, leafy branch slapped him in the face, causing his anger to grow more. He turned to the tree that harbored said branch, letting his anger unleash upon it. Growling in his fury, he then quickly dug his claws into the bark, yanking it from the ground, and thrusting it into the air. The tree landed several yards away, its splintering crash easily reaching his ears. But he paid no mind to it. He had other things to think about. The forest was dangerous, so many demons loved to wreak havoc here; Kagome could be in serious trouble. Just the thought of something happening to her brought hot tears to his eyes, and he closed them for a moment, pushing those miniature rivers back and locking them inside his mind once more. He couldn't afford to cry right now, not when Kagome could be hurt…or worse. His speed increased with each bad scenario that played through his tortured mind.

He was surprised he hadn't caught up with her by now. He'd been heading straight towards the well since he'd left Kikyou. He knew that was where she would be heading, and, being human, there was no way she could really outrun him. He remembered the smell of her salty tears as her confession had come to his ears. Those words still hadn't registered in his mind. How could they? He was too worried about Kagome at the moment. Even if nothing happened to her…what if…what if she jumped through the well and found some way of blocking him from ever coming through? What if he never saw her again? The others would blame him too. If she never came back he'd lose them all. Then everything would be gone; he'd have no love, no friends, nothing—only a wraith of the woman he had once loved, and she wanted to bring him to hell, to share the love they couldn't share in life. Why HAD he said those words…and why had he kissed her? Why in front of Kagome? He was too stressed out to remember at the moment. He thought of those grief-stricken sobs that Kagome had uttered before she ran and his ears lowered in shame. He could almost feel the pain she had felt, and he couldn't help but wonder, what she was thinking right now.

* * *

Kagome's whole body shook with her sobs. Her legs felt numb; she was afraid they might give out at any moment, but still she kept running. She wanted to get as far away from Inuyasha and Kikyou as she could. She just didn't want to face that, yet at the same time she wanted to scream at Inuyasha for being an idiot, or maybe even beg him to choose her instead. She wished she'd never followed him into the forest, never found out that her feelings weren't returned. She almost hoped that this was all a bad dream, and she did wake up, Inuyasha would be bullying Shippou and she would sit him. They'd fight and then they would all go in search of the jewel shards; everything would be fine again. She would ride on Inuyasha's back like always, her arms wrapped carefully around his neck, her cheek resting on his warm back as she listened to the steady sound of his heartbeat. The thought brought new tears to her eyes and she shook her head to try to clear them. She failed. All she could see was one great blur of green and brown. In her broken state she'd managed to get herself lost, though as far as she knew she was still heading in the direction of the well. Again she wished they were journeying; if she was riding on Inuyasha's back she wouldn't have this problem, she wouldn't even be crying. Maybe she should just go back and pretend nothing had happened. She was sure Inuyasha would do the same, but she couldn't. No matter how much she wanted to be close to him right now, she knew just seeing him would break her heart all over again. She tripped for what must have been the fifteenth time, but this time she was unable to right herself and she plummeted straight to the ground. For a moment she thought of getting up and continuing to run towards the well, but the thought quickly left. Lying there on the ground as she was now…it felt so comforting, almost like lying on her own bed at home. If she were home she would be crying into her pillow right now, and that is just what she felt like doing. She folded her arms under her head, never minding that they were covered with wet dirt and grass, and wept.

* * *

Deep green eyes gazed at the young woman from the shadows, full of pity and jealousy. Yes, he knew all about what had happened, for the most part anyways. There was nothing that went on in any forest he was in without him knowing. He knew that the young woman had come into the forest to confess her love for that white-haired half demon, only to find him confessing his love to another. How cruel was fate, he thought, leaving this young woman to drown the soil in her tears, uncomforted. He could not allow this. Too much cruelty had befallen her already. His soft, green-tinted hand came up to rest on the tree at his side as he continued to watch her, and he couldn't help wondering about the hanyou. How could he get such a lovely gem as this? And what would possess him to let such a treasure slip through his fingers, and for a woman who was most definitely dead and had been for some time? Surely his preternatural senses had alerted him of this fact? The young woman's sobs were dying down; he knew she would drift off to sleep soon. However, he could not allow her to sleep uncomforted. Otherwise she might be forced to relive that horrid moment of her life upon reawakening. Well, he would put a stop to that, he told himself as he stepped out of the shadows and towards her. He would comfort her and put her heart at ease.

* * *

Kagome's sobs were finally dying down when she heard the rustle of bushes behind her. She started to get up, but crying had made her so tired that she immediately dismissed it as the wind and burrowed her face further into the comfort of her uniform sleeve. She didn't want to move just yet. She wanted to lie here and forget everything. She wanted to sleep, but she soon found that she couldn't when she felt the warm pressure of a hand on her back. She raised her head, her eyes staring forward and tearing up as her body began to shake with the new sobs building up inside her. She knew it had to be Inuyasha—it couldn't be anyone else—and she just didn't want to face him right now. Just the thought of talking with him made her heartache grow. She quickly buried her face in her already soaked sleeve again, the tears coming forth once more.

"Inuyasha, I-I don't want to…I don't want to talk about it right now," she uttered softly before the trembling of her voice turned into another sob. More threatened to come out, but she held them back, managing to speak once more. "Please…just go away…"

"Inuyasha," came the slow, uncertain reply. It was definitely not Inuyasha's voice. "So, that is the bastard's name… I shall have to remember that." The voice was softer than Inuyasha's, calm, and almost relaxing. The hand she'd felt on her back begin to travel up and down her back in a lazy, comforting way, and even through her fear Kagome felt like closing her eyes and allowing it.

But she just couldn't, and she knew that. She could vaguely sense the demonic aura that surrounded the owner of the voice, and just this brought her back to her senses. She might be in great danger right now, and she wasn't even armed. She was sure Inuyasha hadn't followed her; he was probably still with Kikyou. She was going to have to fend for herself as best she could, and the first step of that was to face her attacker and not be afraid. She rolled over quickly, causing the owner of the hand to pull it back and away from her. She caught a glimpse of a large object that seemed to be glowing bright red, and in the confusion caused by her blurred vision immediately assumed that this was the demon's eye. She squeezed her eyes shut—with an eye as big as that she knew the demon must be immense—she would never be able to defeat him alone. There was no helping it, she opened her mouth, and screamed Inuyasha's name. And that was the first time she saw him, the one who would in some strange way bring her and Inuyasha both closer and farther apart than they had ever been.

* * *

When Inuyasha reached the well he was surprised to find that Kagome was nowhere near it. He was sure that he would have at least caught her before she went back to her own time. Of course there was no real way for him to tell if she had even been there recently; since she had just come through the well the night before. He loosened up, breathing a sigh of relief—at least she was no longer in danger. But he still couldn't leave. After hearing the pain in her voice, he knew he needed to go after her and at least try to comfort her. He wasn't sure how, but somehow he knew that it was his responsibility. His ears lowered again, and a small whimper escaped him as he thought of how, right now, she was probably sobbing into the pillow on her bed. He sighed again. After the pain he'd just put her through, he wondered if her family would even let him see her, let alone console her, but he had to try. He stepped forward, resting a hand on the edge of the well. Once more the scene played in his mind, his confession to Kikyou, her lips against his, the hurt in Kagome's voice, but something wasn't right. Somehow he felt he was going to say more before Kikyou's lips met his, but in all of his frustration, he just could not remember what. He dug his claws into the wood, listening to it splinter as he growled low in his throat. He didn't have time for this. He'd have to think about it later. Right now he had to go after Kagome. He shook his head to clear the confusing thoughts, and pulled his claws out of the wood, planting one of his feet there instead. He was just getting ready to hoist himself over the edge when he heard Kagome scream his name.

He jerked his head around immediately, his ears perking up as he uttered one solitary word. "Kagome…"

He turned and ran in the direction of the voice so fast that the leaves on the trees in his path shook wildly, and were almost torn from their branches. Fear fueled his speed now, overwhelming his guilt. Once again those scenarios played through his mind; scenarios of her hurt, scared, dying, or even leaving him for good. He just had to reach her in time. He couldn't lose her, especially not after what had just happened. Hold on, Kagome, he thought, I'm coming. Just hold on a little longer.

* * *

Those green eyes widened in surprise as her scream reached his pointed ears. He was confused for a moment, wondering why she was so scared. But then he realized why. Here he was, someone she had never met before, reeking of the demon scent and touching her. How could he have been so thoughtless? He looked into her eyes, noticing the tears that streamed from them once more, and reached his hand out slowly.

As his delicate fingers brushed the offending tears away from her eyes he spoke to her in the same soothing voice. "Shh… Don't be afraid. My name is Tani, and I am here to comfort you and mend your heart." A comforting, though sad smile followed his words, bringing an end to her scream.

Now that she was calm his eyes began to notice her beauty, even in sorrow. Her eyes were first, and his gaze devoured them, the chocolaty orbs seeming to sparkle even through the tears. Then, looked over her skin. It was so soft against his fingertips, and even though her cheeks were pallid from her weeping they seemed to have a glow all their own. He suddenly realized how perfect she had seemed as she lay crying on the ground, how her every curve had complimented her in some way, from the curvature of her slender legs, to the swell of her bosom as it heaved in her sorrows. His eyes were brought back to the present as they fell upon her soft pink lips, and his fingers followed, gently playing over them. He wanted to touch them…feel them against his. She was so perfect, her beauty, the soul that looked out at him through her eyes, even the sorrow that ached to be comforted. He realized he wanted her. He wanted her to leave that wretched half demon called Inuyasha and become his. He wanted to know what it would feel like to be loved by her.

Kagome wasn't really sure who this stranger was, despite his name. She sensed the demonic aura around him, but despite his green skin and hair, he looked…human. She thought for a moment that he might be a half demon like Inuyasha, but she stopped thinking and trembled as his fingers left her cheek and began to trail over her lips. She looked into his eyes, noticing the warm kindness in them, but there was also a strange sadness, and something else…longing? She was about to open her mouth to say something more when his lips suddenly closed over hers, warm and soothing. Her eyes started to close, but then they quickly snapped open as she pushed him away. Her hand met his cheek with a resounding clap.

"What do you think you're doing, you creep?" she yelled, her voice unusually high from the shock and her cheeks flushed.

Tani sat there for a moment, eyes wide as he stared at her incredulously. He slowly brought his hand to the offended cheek, eyes blank. She'd smacked him, pushed him away. She'd called him a…creep? He wasn't quite sure what the word meant, but it seemed to fit somewhere in his mind with 'monster'. He closed his eyes, resting his forehead in his palm. He remembered this feeling—this aching within him. He believed it was called rejection. The glowing red sphere that hung from his neck pulsed as he remembered what his long dead mother had once told him.

"_I can see it in your eyes…" she had said, though he hadn't been quite sure what she was talking about at the time. "You will not love one of our kind; you will fall in love with a human. But listen to me…no human woman will ever love you. Humans fear our kind and will never accept us." He remembered her eyes softening as his lower lip trembled, and she placed her hand gently on his cheek. "Fear not, my son, for there is a way." He had watched in awe as she removed the necklace from around her neck and slipped it over his head. Even back then the jewel had glowed as brightly as it did now. "With this jewel you can make a woman love you, but once you've used it, it will work only on that woman, so choose wisely."_

Tani's eyes opened and he looked down at the jewel, lifting a hand up to grasp it. He looked up at Kagome once more, noting the anger and slight fear in her eyes and his grip tightened. With one quick tug the cord holding the jewel snapped, and then seemed to disintegrate, disappearing from sight. He moved towards her, a slight pain tugging at his heart when she tried to move away from him. Kagome could see the pain and desire shining in his eyes and she was afraid. Her eyes fell to the jewel, the jewel that had made her think him more fearsome than he actually was—a jewel that strangely resembled the Shikon. She had no more time to ponder this, for it was at that very moment that he grabbed her wrist, preventing her from moving farther away. He moved closer, his face dangerously close to hers as he pulled one side of her skirt down, exposing her hip and placing the hand with the jewel over it.

His eyes seemed somehow distant as he spoke to her once more. "Soon, you will forget that Inuyasha, and you will love me in his place." His free hand came up, his fingers entwining themselves in her hair. "I won't hurt you like he has."

He pressed his hand down, and a scalding heat spread through Kagome's hip. It felt almost as if the jewel were melting into her. His face came closer and their lips met again as the pain doubled. Kagome had no time to retaliate. There was one last shock of blinding pain, and then everything went black.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading and I will have the next chapter posted as soon as I can. There may be a few errors because it's past midnight and I'm extremely tired. I checked over it the best I could, but my editor was booted offline in some bizarre stroke of bad luck. So please, bear with me. -.-; Until next time; farewell and enjoy. 


	3. So It Begins

Author's Note: Ok, it took a lot longer than I expected to get back online. My mom was generous and had my Internet set up a week after I got home. HOWEVER, it turns out that, since I've always used a cable hookup, the person who built my computer never bothered to install the built-in modem. X.x;; I told him about this, and he found one to send to me, but his job started keeping him in later than the post office was open. We later found out that there had been a mix-up when he finally did send it. So, while that went on I was discovering that my machine DID have sound, which made me happy. So I listened to You Spin Me Right Round, Brick House, and some more of my favorites for a couple of days. This finally put me in a good enough mood that I decided to start working on my fic again. Sorry it took me so long starting, but apparently I'm so used to having internet that when I don't have it I get this empty feeling and get real depressed. X.x;; I think it's mainly the lack of role-playing. Well, anyways, I'll stop bugging you with my problems. Suffice to say that I have my Internet back; I got rid of my writer's block, and I am finally posting this. Uj kyls _hyw_!

* * *

Tani sat silently on the forest floor, holding Kagome's limp body in his arms, his eyes on her face. Her features were so relaxed now, not a trace of her former fear remaining. Of course, he had been a bit surprised at first; he hadn't known what to expect when he used the jewel—bright lights maybe, glowing, but he hadn't expected Kagome to pass out. At first he thought it was his mother's cruel way of teaching him not to love humans; he'd thought the jewel had killed Kagome. Of course he had panicked, crying as he held her in his arms, until he'd realized that she was still breathing. He had gotten through that with only a moment of embarrassment and an apology to his mother's memory. She had been sweet—a demon who had killed her human husband—but sweet nonetheless, and would never have done something like that to him; he was glad.

Now Tani sat here, his face composed and serene, holding what was now—in his mind—_his _Kagome. However, though he seemed at peace on the outside, his mind was in turmoil. He wasn't really sure if the jewel would work right away or even how it would work. Kagome may be alarmed if he took her away with him now. Besides, he didn't yet have a suitable place for a human to stay, he had never actually "settled down" anywhere. He knew that humans were fragile creatures, and he would never forgive himself if she became ill because she did not have proper shelter. He sighed and ran his fingers through her hair, his eyes traveling over her face again. He would have to leave her with that intolerable Inuyasha; at least until he knew the jewel was working and he had a good place for her. Tani shifted, moving her gently from his lap to the ground and bending to kiss her forehead. He could hear Inuyasha heading this way; he could clearly stay no longer. He just hoped he wasn't making a mistake by leaving her.

* * *

Inuyasha noticed nothing in his hurry to reach Kagome; if something was in his way, he crashed through it. Nothing could detain him; he _would_ save Kagome. He was getting close now, he could smell her scent, hers and…a demon's? He snarled in anger, his Tetsusaiga pulsing for a moment as his eyes flashed red. His speed increased and he ran faster than he ever had. In seconds he had jumped into the clearing, Tetsusaiga drawn and ready. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glance of a shadowy figure, but when he turned his head in that direction he saw only a whirl of leaves. His ears perked up as a whisper reached him on the wind.

"_Take care of her, hanyou…"_

Inuyasha just stood there for a moment, looking for the source of the voice. He sniffed in confusion, and found that the demon's scent was now fading; he was no longer there. He looked around him, bewildered, but he quickly forgot about the voice that he may or may not have heard, for Kagome could be in danger. Quickly, he sheathed the Tetsusaiga and turned to Kagome, dropping to his knees and gathering her into his arms. She lay limp, not moving nor making a sound. Her face was pale, even her velvet lips. Tears gathered in his eyes as, like Tani, it crossed his mind that she might be dead, and he clutched her tighter, bowing his head and pushing the salty streams back. Shortly, though, her soft heartbeat and rapid breathing reached his ears, causing him to breathe a sigh of relief. He set her down momentarily to wipe those rebellious tears away, but in a heartbeat she was nestled safely within the strength of his arms. Even through his clothing he could feel the heat radiating from her skin, and he knew something must be wrong. Briefly, he rested his cheek against her forehead, where it was soon covered with her sweat, and then he took off, speeding in the direction of the nearby village, where he knew Kaede could be found. The full moon overhead cast an eerie shadow upon his determined features as he ran, his hair blowing like a banner behind him. His eyes remained before him, but there was the smallest bit of worry there.

"Please be ok, Kagome," he murmured, his plea swept away on the wind, only to be heard by the waiting ears of a nearby spectator, whose eyes glistened with cold tears of hate.

Those eyes followed Inuyasha until he had disappeared from view, and then they closed as their owner turned away, wrapping her cold arms about herself. "So, you've changed your mind, Inuyasha," she spoke softly, the tears sliding slowly down her cheeks. "I refuse to believe that this is how it will end." She turned back around, staring off in the direction he'd run. "You _will_ come back to me Inuyasha."

* * *

Kagome woke to find herself staring at the wood ceiling of a hut she knew rather well. The smell of herbs and cooking food filled her nose and she could hear the familiar snores of a certain young demon and the sound of a wooden spoon scraping the bottom of a pot close by. She closed her eyes tight, frowning. Her every sense seemed to be heightened due to some kind of fire that was burning within the core of her being. Those simple, everyday sounds that normally went unnoticed by human ears now clawed at her eardrums and made her head pound. Now, as she blocked the light with her closed eyelids, forced back the annoying sounds and smells, and concentrated, she could more acutely feel what was happening with her own body. It was amazing. That heat that had pooled in her abdomen was spreading rapidly through her veins like a brush fire, igniting each part of her body as it passed and setting her very skin aflame. With it came a wild energy like none she had ever felt before, bringing forth a persistent urge that began to pulse in time with her heart. But what was that urge? She wasn't sure, but whatever it was, it would not allow her to simply lie here and ignore it. It tugged at her mind, begging that she comply, and she obeyed. She sat up slowly, shaking with the intensity of her need, and opened her eyes, ignoring the wet cloth that fell from her forehead to her lap. Pulling the sweat-soaked blanket from her damp skin, she took a more thorough look around the hut and found that all eyes were on her. Well, all except for those of the sleeping kit of course. She returned their gazes in turn and promptly moved on, viewing each of them as unimportant, until she looked into the deep, violet orbs of the monk. (If you have any questions about the eye color, don't ask me. I looked at one of the anime pictures for reference.) Yes, he could help her to sate this aching hunger that was gradually growing stronger, spurred on by the lack of attention it was receiving. She reached out, bracing herself with one hand, and started to stand, but was quickly pushed back down by the aged, but firm hands of the elderly miko.

She glared down at the miko; even while sitting, she was about a head taller than the old priestess. The woman's lips moved, but she ignored the words that slipped past them; they could not help her with her need, and therefore, were not important. Her arm came up, as if of its own volition, and roughly pushed her aside. Kagome stood, her eyes once again locked on the monk's. Looking him over, she couldn't help but wonder just what was under those loose robes. What did he have to hide, and why? Couldn't he tell that it was driving her crazy? As her half-lidded eyes traveled over his mysterious form, she fought to remember his name, for this task was quite hard in her current condition. Finally, after several frustrated moments, during which the heat grew steadily worse, she remembered it, and used it to get his attention, and his alone.

"Miroku," she sighed. "I need to speak to you…" She caught movement out of the corner or her eye as the demon slayer moved to rise along with Miroku, and she growled out, "Alone." The demon slayer immediately froze.

Kagome turned her focus back to the monk, and, noticing he had not moved, but remained rooted in the same sitting position on the floor. She walked over and grabbed him, hauling him to his feet and pulling him outside. Her every movement caused the ache to surge through her with renewed strength, and the bright moonlight that shone down into her eyes only added to her frustration. She glared in equal turns at the villagers that turned to look at them. They could gawk if they want. She was going to fulfill her need if the whole feudal era had to watch. She turned suddenly, catching Miroku off guard so that he nearly crashed into her, but caught himself at the last moment. She raised his hand, her grip on his wrist tightening with the urgency of her need as she rubbed her cheek against the rough skin of his knuckles, placing her other hand on the chest of his robes and desperately trying to feel the body that hid beneath.

"Miroku," she moaned his name.

Miroku gaped at her in shock. Even with all of the faith he held in his so-called "charms," he had never expected Kagome to moan _his_ name-Inuyasha's perhaps, but _definitely_ not his. Yes, he had seen the way they acted around each other, and, even with the constant bickering and painful "sit" commands, anyone could tell that there was a strong attraction there. In all of the time he had spent watching their relationship progress he had caught some looks of desire passed between them, always going completely unnoticed by the other, but Inuyasha had given most of these looks. He had suspected that, as a woman, Kagome was probably more able to hide such longings, but now...this was ludicrous! None of Inuyasha's lusty gazes had been this intense! Why, she looked on the verge of rape! This was where Miroku's thought processes were interrupted, for three things happened in such a quick succession that he couldn't be quite sure that they ever took place at all. Kagome was finally able to grasp one part of his body through the thick folds of his robes and give it a tender squeeze—to which said body part was quick to respond—and he was left speechless, biting back a groan, lest someone hear. She leaned in to kiss him, and he heard Sango's indignant gasp from where she watched at the doorway to Kaede's hut. He made a quick mental note to pester…question her about it later, before the third thing happened-and this one saved him from Sango's full wrath. Inuyasha showed up.

Kagome looked up, annoyed that her hand had been pulled away from its grasp on the monk's wonderfully throbbing member. Her other hand was pulled away from his wrist as well, and she turned, ready to rip out the throat of whoever had interrupted her. Then, she found herself gazing into deep pools of gold suffused with confusion. Her gaze drifted over his face, taking in the once hard features, which had somewhat softened since she'd met him, then to his soft, silver hair and ears that twitched ever so slightly in the light breeze. They traveled down to the clawed hand that gently held her wrist, and she couldn't help but imagine him using them to tear through her clothes before he took her, then and there in front of everyone. Looking over his body, she knew he was more than strong enough to fulfill her need several times, though he, like Miroku, hid his toned physique beneath baggy clothes, which gave no clue to the shape beneath. She closed her eyes, thinking briefly back to all of the times she had watched him slay demons. Yes, he definitely had the strength to slake her lust, and, though she would normally never admit it, she knew that some part of her had wanted this to happen for a long time. She opened her eyes, looking back into his as she pressed against him—reaching her hand up to caress his cheek and sending shivers down both of their spines.

"Inuyasha," she breathed, her voice full of longing, need, and even a hint of the love she had always felt.

"Ka-Kagome," he answered questioningly as her face came closer to his. Almost unbidden, his free hand slid around her waist to the small of her back. Was she really going to kiss him? His heart and body were anxious and excited, even though he still tried to deny that he wanted this. The guilt of how he had hurt her last night—when she was going to confess her love—flashed in his mind. His ears flattened back against his skull in shame. Could he make it up to her like this? By showing that he felt the same way for her? Desperately he tried to remember why he had said those things to Kikyou, when his heart had quite obviously moved on. He still felt that he had meant to say more before Kikyou's cold lips closed over his. He was on the brink of remembering, of clearing up his confusion and at the same time apologizing to Kagome in the best way he knew, when that old hag interrupted.

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha, quick! Get Kagome inside the hut! A fever has clouded her mind!"

Inuyasha snapped out of his thoughts as suddenly as if he'd been run through. He gripped Kagome's arms, keeping her from advancing further, and then he turned to the elderly priestess, hardly suppressing a growl. What did she mean by "clouded her mind"! Kagome had said that she loved him, even if he had hurt her. Didn't that mean that she really did want him? Even though he knew damn well that if Kagome was groping _Miroku_ then there was definitely something wrong, his mind stubbornly fought to hold on to the illusion that Kagome had been about to kiss him for real. He stayed that way for a few moments as Kagome fought to free herself from his grasp, and then reluctantly threw her over his shoulder and stomped into the hut. After laying her gently on the futon and watching as Sango fought to hold her down, he immediately stomped right back out, ignoring the old hag's orders that he and Miroku leave immediately to avoid further problems, for he was already dragging the monk off. He knew very well that if Kagome did that again, he wouldn't be able to resist. He didn't trust Miroku to restrain himself, and he trusted himself much less at the moment. Now that Kagome had heated his blood up, tonight was going to be hell, and he might as well have someone to take it out on. He continued to storm into the forest, dragging the monk and disregarding the choking noises that poor Miroku was issuing more franticly with each step Inuyasha took.

* * *

Tani's deep, green eyes—now bright with fury—had watched that whole scene play out. His fists were clenched at his sides as he watched the hanyou walk past, loath to actually harm him, for—despite what Inuyasha had done—Tani was still a peaceful demon. The trees around him actually groaned and shuddered with the strength of his rage. She had almost kissed that mutt, his pure one—the one who was meant to be his bride! He could not allow her to be tainted by such a filthy excuse for a half demon. What enraged him even more was the scent of arousal that had been issued from the hanyou and even now trailed after him. Even after he had broken Kagome's heart and chosen the shadow of his dead lover, he still wanted her. Well, Tani wouldn't allow him to have both, especially not Kagome; that just wouldn't be fair. He looked up at the bright, full moon above, silently cursing it for swaying the power of the jewel as his mother told him it would, and vowing that next time he would have his Kagome.

"Goodnight, sweet Kagome," he whispered, sending his voice to her on the wind. "Dream of me, as I will dream of you."

With a faint rustle of leaves and a howl of the wind he was gone—and so this fight for Kagome began.

* * *

Woot! Finally finished! Well, all right. I hope you like it. Be glad that I don't have to go to school, so I stayed up late to finish this for you guys. Now, I would like you guys to tell me one thing. I was thinking-partially because of a flame I received the last time I posted this fic- that perhaps I _did_ skip through too fast the last time, when the fic had 13 rather short, boring chapters. So, now that I'm redoing it, I'm thinking I may just do each day, right up to the new moon. That's fifteen days, people! (I'm not counting the full moon night I just did.) I could do a lot with that, and explain things a lot better! So, I want you to tell me if I should do that. Even if you _do_ review, I doubt you will tell me, so I will probably do it anyways, but I think you guys should give your opinion. I mean you _are_ the ones reading it after all. So, yeah, tell me what you think and please review if you have time. :P Adios, mis amigos buenos! 


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